April 18, 2008
Nevada

Court voids FAA allowance for turbines near Nevada airport

A federal appeals court says the Federal Aviation Administration has to reconsider allowing a wind farm atop a mountain near the planned Ivanpah airport in southern Nevada.

The U.S. Court of Appeals in the District of Columbia issued a ruling Friday upholding Clark County’s challenge of an FAA finding that 83 electricity-generating turbines atop Table Mountain wouldn’t obstruct air space or disrupt radar systems.

Clark County alleged the FAA failed to follow proper administrative procedures, didn’t conduct open hearings, and disregarded a county consultant’s study that the 400-foot tall turbines might threaten aviation safety.

There’s no immediate comment from FAA and county officials.

The wind turbine site is about 10 miles from proposed airport, some 30 miles south of Las Vegas near the California-Nevada state line. The county plans to build and open the new regional airport by 2017.

The Associated Press